Nancy Chung

This “web of life” has been a tradition for over 2 decades and I choke up with tears every single time... as we pass the yarn, we thank a classmate and say something they appreciate about them.⠀ ⠀ I always try my best not to cry but always fail. I heard in a sermon (by Pastor Rick Warren) that “Tears are liquid emotions” and that “tears are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of love.”⠀ ⠀ I clearly have a lot of emotions and a lot of love~! ⠀ ⠀ Do you have a favorite end or year activity? Please comment below and share~! ⠀ ⠀ ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜⠀ ⠀ #teachersoninstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #5thgrade #teachershare #iteachfifth #iteachfifthgrade #iteach5th #upperelementary #iteachuppergrade #teacherspayteachers #tiktokteachers #tradition #weboflife

Making a Marble Run is the perfect end of the year activity! (These photos are from previous years but I put an “edumacational” twist on it this year. I’ll share it soon) ⠀ Students will work in small groups to plan together, come up with a theme, decide on what graphics to add, determine an end goal (maybe even with some prizes) and will show off their creativity by creating a marble run! They will draw the tracks using a ruler and pencil, then use white glue to add the straw tracks. ⠀ I always love seeing the excitement on their faces when they watch their classmates try their maze. Typically I use pieces of recycled cardboard box pieces, but this year, I bought some white foam boards at Dollar Tree. :) plastic straws are donated by parents but we pop them right off the board at the end of the year and reuse them year after year. ⠀ Link in my bio for the resource that has all the details and samples. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜⠀ #stemchallenge #marblerun #marblemaze #maze #iteach5th #iteach4th #iteachfifth⠀ #teachersofig #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #techteachers #tiktokteachers #iteachtoo #iteach5th #iteach4th #iteach456 #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachershare #iteachfourth #iteachfifth #iteach345 #teacherspayteachers #teacherlife #iteachtoo #teachers #iloveteaching #virtualteacher #tiktokteacher #teachersoftiktok #teachersontiktok

#ad Inspired by the power of story, The Willesden Project from @uscshoahfoundation and @holdontoyourmusic combines testimony, technology, and music to teach the universal themes of resilience and hope.  The Legacy and Friendship IWalk provided a great opportunity to learn about friendship and hope during the most challenging of times and circumstances. My class took virtual walks using the interactive 360* VR technology, listened to the powerful testimonies from people who lived through the events of WWII, and answered questions as we went along to deepen the connections to our personal stories. You can choose the activity type, language, subject, the author, and the grade level. What better way to teach history, right?  The Willesden Project’s global education initiative is your one-stop digital destination for classroom resources and learning materials for teaching about the Holocaust and related themes in an age-appropriate way.  Click the link in my bio or go to thewillesdenproject.org to check it out yourself!

As we begin State Testing… I just want to remind all the students AND teachers (parents too) that we are more than just the test scores… ⠀ ⠀ TEACHERS: Take a deep breath and trust that what we’ve been teaching all year is stuck in their little minds! ⠀ ⠀ STUDENTS: Take a deep breath and do your personal best! Get plenty of rest and take your time. ⠀ ⠀ PARENTS: Positive encouragements only, please! Cram sessions are proven to be ineffective, and lectures (or “reminders” as we’d like to call them) do NOT help~! 😂 ⠀ ⠀ 🙌🏼 We got this!! ⠀ Cute sign from @simplystainedshop 🧡 ⠀ ❤️ Please comment below and share your favorite advice or tip to get through state testing! ⠀ ⠀ ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜⠀ ⠀ #statetesting #teachersoninstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #5thgrade #teachershare #iteachfifth #iteachfifthgrade #iteach5th #upperelementary #iteachuppergrade #teacherspayteachers #tiktokteachers #tests #test

Am I a little extra? 😂 Why do simple things in life like decorating a tote bag, matching with one of my favorite students, make me so happy? I think I might have to take this cute tote for a spin and see how many compliments I get at @traderjoes 😍 I wish my @traderjoes had more of these in stock so I could do a giveaway for my amazing followers!! #traderjoes #traderjoestotebag #teachersofinstagram #teacherjoys

FUN digital project to showcase your students’ mastery of the food chain and food web. This digital resource includes directions, mini lesson on the ecosystem, the scoring rubric, blank template, lots of student samples, directions on how to create a QR code, and intro to a fun paper collage extension activity that everyone LOVES! Comment “Food Web” and I’ll send you the direct link or click on the link in my bio 💚 #foodweb #foodchain #foodwebproject #funprojects #iteachscience #iteach456 #iteach5th #papercollage #digitalresource #foodchainproject

Let’s go hang out in San Diego together and experience ALL the amazing hands-on demos of the latest AI technology in education! I literally squealed audibly when I was asked to be a partner for the upcoming incredible AIR Show. (April 13-15) Anyone who knows me knows that I’m proudly the biggest tech nerd around. “AIR” in AIR Show = Artificial Intelligence Revolution in education. I cannot wait to learn from 100+ AI leaders in education. I’m really looking forward to meeting Bill Nye, my science hero, in person! Comment “AIR” and I’ll send you the direct link to register for free (or click on the link in my bio). Registration is complimentary, but spaces are limited. If you cannot make to all the days of the event, that’s ok, it’ll still be an amazing experience. #ASUGSVairshow #AIRshow #EduTech #AIintheclassroom #AIinEducation #TeacherPodcast #FutureofLearning #EdChat #ClassroomInnovation #TechinEd #TeachingAI #EduPodcast #21stCenturyLearning

AI, AI, AI ~! Everyone has been talking about AI lately, but have YOU started using it yet? If you are, what are some of your favorite apps/programs and what do you use it for? (Please comment below and share.) Using it to write thorough personalized report card comments, providing feedback on student writing, drafting letters to parents, creating images using students’ descriptive writing, and countless other ways are how I am using AI in the classroom right now. Let me just tell you how much stress has been lifted off my shoulders since I’ve been using these tools. I know many teachers are still very hesitant to jump on the AI bandwagon for various reasons. For that reason, we knew that a discussion of how teachers can utilize AI effectively was really necessary. Take a listen to @joyfulnoiseteaching and myself discuss: * Some of our favorite AI tools * Different ways teachers can use AI * Dealing with unethical use of AI tools by students * Training students to use it appropriately * …and SO much more! Click on the link in my bio to listen to Episode 17 of The Schoolyard Podcast and thank us later. ;) #EduTech #AIintheclassroom #AIinEducation #TeacherPodcast #FutureofLearning #EdChat #ClassroomInnovation #TechinEd #TeachingAI #EduPodcast #21stCenturyLearning #AIeducator

Tackling informational writing: My students researched an animal from the Endangered Species list then organized their information into Thinking Maps. After learning about different text structures, they wrote 4 different paragraphs about their animal. They typed it out in the Google Slides digital template that I shared with them. My templates have 4 different formats, so they had to select one, and replace the images and information with their own. Didn’t they turn out amazing?! they were so excited to get these published and displayed. This magazine article layout idea was inspired by @thebookwrangler many many years ago and we LOVE it!! Comment “LINK” and I’ll send you a direct link for this resource. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #teachersoninstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #5thgrade #teachershare #iteachfifth #iteachfifthgrade #iteach5th #upperelementary #iteachuppergrade #teacherspayteachers #tiktokteachers #classroomideas#upperelementaryteacher #teachingupperelementary  #igteacher #endangeredspeciesproject

🎙️ Former NFL player on The Schoolyard Podcast! 🏈 Tune in to episode 15 featuring Henri Crockett, founder of the Crockett Foundation, as he shares his ‘why’ and discusses ‘Empowering the Youth Through Career Tech Education.’ Discover how he’s paving the way for underserved youth in STEAM fields. In this episode, we explore Henri’s unwavering dedication to providing hope and opportunity to underserved youth, guiding them onto the promising path of STEAM fields. Through the lens of his foundation, Henri paints a vivid picture of resilience and community, showcasing the transformative power of education and support. Tune in to discover the heartfelt stories and impactful initiatives that are shaping the futures of countless young minds. 🌟 #Empowerment #YouthEducation #Inspiration #CrockettFoundation #teacherpodcast #STEM #STEAM

Our Valentine’s Day is always more meaningful with this “You Are Special” activity. I got this idea my first year of teaching (27 years ago) when I read a story from a Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul book. Remember those? It was about a teacher who noticed that her students were getting a little rude and unkind to each other. She had each student take out a sheet of paper and write their name on top. Students were instructed to pass the papers around as they wrote something nice about their classmates. Everyone read all the nice things others wrote about them and started being nice to each other. Years later, the teacher happens to attend a funeral of one of the students who passed away while serving in the military. His dad hands her an old beat up paper that’s been folded and unfolded many times, and when she opens it, she sees that it was the paper with all the compliments. His dad tells the teacher that every time his son was lonely or sad, he would read the paper and feel brave and loved. (This is a really condensed version of the story) I tell a more dramatic version of this story, then pass out the paper. I designate a direction in which the papers should be passed and put 30-40 seconds on the timer. Students write, and when the timer goes off, they pass the paper. Once it circulates the whole room, I give it to the person to read. Afterwards, I collect it and put it in their end of the year memory book. (Also displayed at Open House) This brings SO much joy to each and every student, and it reminds them that they are special and very loved. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #teachersoninstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #5thgrade #teachershare #iteachfifth #iteachfifthgrade #iteach5th #upperelementary #iteachuppergrade #teacherspayteachers #tiktokteacher #upperelementaryteacher #teachingupperelementary #valentinesday #youarespecial